The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-08-13

Up above the falls, for more than a mile, the waters leap and burst oyer rapids, as though conscious of the destiny that awaits them. Here the river is very broad, and comparatively shallow, but from shore to shore it frets itself into little torrents, and be- gins to assume the majesty of its power. Looking at it even here, in the expanse which forms itself over the greater fall, one feels sure that no strongest swimmer could have a chance of saving himself, ii fate had cast him in even among those petty whirlpools. The waters, though so broken in their descent, are deliciously green. This color, as seen early in the morning, or just as the sun has set, is so bright as to give the place (one) of its chiefest charms. This will be best seen from the further end of the island Goat Island, as it is called, which, as the reader will understand, divides the river immediately above tho falls. Indeed the island is part of that pre- cipitously broken ledge over which the river tumbles; and no doubt in process of time will be worn away and covered with water. The time, however, will he very long. In the meanwhile it is perhaps mile round, and is covered thickly with timber. At the upper end of the island the waters are divided, and coming down in two courses, each over its own rapids, form two separate falls. The bridge by which the island is entered is hum dred yards or more above the smaller fall. The waters here have been turned by the island, and make their leap into the body of the river below at right angle with it-about two hundred yards below the greater fall. Taken alone this smaller cataract would, imagine, be the heaviest fall of water known, but taken in conjunc. tion with the other it is terribly shorn of its majesty. The waters here are not as green as they arc at the larger cataract, and though the ledge has been hollowed and bowed by them so as to form curve, that curve does not deepen itself into vast abyss as it does at the horse shoe up above. This smaller fall is again divided, and the visitor, passing down a flight of steps and over a frail wooden bridge finds himself on a smaller island in the midst of it.
 But we will go at once on to the glory, and the thunder, and the maj . esty, and the wrath of that upper he'll of waters. We are still, let the reader remember, on Goat Island, still in the i states, and on what is called the Amer ican side of the main body of the river. Advancing beyond the path leading down to the lesser fall, we come to that point of the island at which the waters of the main river begin to descend. From hence across to the Canadian side the cataract con- tinues itself in one una abated line. But the line is very far from being direct or straight. After stretching for some little way from the shore. to a point i'll the river which is reached by a wooden bridge at the end of which stands a tower upon the rock-after stretching to this, the line of the ledge bends inwards against the flood-in, and in, and in, till one is led to think that the depth of that horse shoe is immeasuable. It has been cut with no stinting hand. A monstrous cantle has been worn back out of the center of the rock, so that the fury of the waters converges, and the spectator, as he gazes into the hollow with wish ful eyes, fancies that he can hardly trace out the centre of the abyss.
 Go down to the end of that wooden bridge, seat yourself on the rail, and there sit till all the outer world is lost to you. There is no grander spot about Niagara than this. The waters are absolutely around you. If you have that power of eye-cOntrol which is so necessary to the full enjoyment of scenery, you will see nothing but the water. You will certainly hear nothing else and the sound, I beg you to remember, is not an ear-cracking, agonizing crash and clang of noises i; but is melodious, and soft withal, though loud as thunder. It fills your ears, and, as it were, envelops them, but at the same time you can speak to your neighbor without an effort. But at this place, and in these moments, the less of speaking, l should say, the better. There is no graider spot than this. Here, seated on the rail of the bridge, you will not see the whole depth of the fall. In looking at the grandest works of nature, and of art, too, fancy, it is never well to see all. There should be something left to the imagination, and much should be half concealed in mystery. The greatest charm of mountain range is the wild feeling that there must be strange, unknown, desolate worlds in those far-off valleys beyond. And 80 here at Niagara that converging rush of waters may fall down, down at once